Ratepayers face repair bill as brand-new William Stewart Park facility is forced shut
BRAND-new public toilets at a Thornlands park have been forced to close almost as soon as they opened after vandals struck — leaving ratepayers to foot the repair bill.
The new amenities block at William Stewart Park opened to the public on Wednesday, September 23, before it was vandalised and temporarily shut while repairs are carried out.
Division 3 Councillor Paul Golle said the damage went beyond one community facility.
“This facility had barely opened before someone vandalised it,” Cr Golle said.
“While Council can repair the damage, ultimately it is ratepayers who end up paying for the consequences of crime against public infrastructure.”
Cr Golle said residents were entitled to question whether the State Government’s promised crackdown on local crime was translating into safer public spaces.
The State Government has made community safety a key commitment, including high-visibility policing operations aimed at crime hotspots and public areas.
But Cr Golle said councils were repeatedly left to clean up — and local residents left to pay.
“Queensland taxpayers are funding the State’s crime and policing response, while local ratepayers are then picking up the bill when public assets are damaged,” he said.
“We need to stop treating these incidents as isolated events where the only response is to clean up the damage and send the bill to Council.
“If the State Government is promising Queenslanders that it is restoring safety where they live, then communities such as Thornlands should be able to see the benefit of that commitment.”
Cr Golle said Council should not be blamed for the criminal behaviour of those responsible, but called for every effort to be made to identify them and recover the cost of the damage.
“Someone has damaged a brand-new community asset,” he said.
“I want to see every reasonable effort made to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.
“Ratepayers should not simply be an open cheque book every time public infrastructure is vandalised.”
Council hopes to complete repairs and reopen the amenities block in time for the weekend.
“This isn’t just about a toilet block,” Cr Golle said.
“It is about the cost of crime being pushed down to local government and ultimately onto ratepayers.
“Residents deserve to know when the promises about safer communities will translate into safer public spaces in their own neighbourhoods.”
